Pokemon Mystery Dungeon Ways Forward
by FantasyCrest
Summary: After a vague dream a human wakes up as a Charmander in a new world where a race to the end of a mystery takes place. After meeting a new friend and finding out the status of those who seek answers in this place he does his best to help his new friends while solving a problem spanning many realms. OC story. Disclaimer inside. Feel free to review!
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: TA-DA! A new story! So for those who don't follow me on DA I'll explain why this is good. Put simply my will to write had slowed down a lot sometime ago and with it my stories had crashed and burned on me to the point where I had to take them down. So I wallowed in misery of a sort for a time and nursed my interests in fandoms slowly. Then I started developing this. A new PMD story. This one is for the most part completely new I went postal and created a whole new setting, plot, and characters. This is kinda new for me as my character will be using regular names for once but I wanted to try. I will not be accepting creations for this story from anyone right now as I wanna stretch my creative ability to the very edge on this before doing such right now. I'm sorry for how that sounds but it's what I want on this. While writing this I wanna improve my grammar (punctuation too much to my chagrin), POV writing, battle scenes, and actually working with a character as I envisioned them and changing them over time as things go. If you all have feedback to help me on these things by all means speak up and I'll use it on the next chapter. Regular reviews are welcome as well. I hope you all like this. I do not own Pokemon. Thanks goes to my Beta Reader Ashski of DevinatArt. Have at it!**

Pokemon Mystery Dungeon Ways Forward

Chapter 1

A fizzy feeling. That's what I felt once I realized I could actually do so. Then after a few minutes of dealing with the tingling I realized that if I could feel I should be able to do other stuff as well. So I tried stuff.

My voice didn't work.

There was nothing to smell.

There was nothing to taste.

Then I realized I was looking at stuff but it was only endless black color. Lots and lots of dark I was looking at I came to realize.

Then a new sense came to me.

Hearing.

EERRRRR!

A loud creaking noise.

KSHHHH!

A noise like glass breaking.

Then a pinpoint of light appeared in the center of my sight and spreading causing white color to spread across my sight blocking out this status. As this form of awareness came to an end I thought I heard two words said to me so softly I wasn't even sure I heard them.

"_Good luck."_

(PMD)

A mix of black and white. That's what I was staring at as awareness came back to me. Dreamily I wondered what had happened?

I could of sworn I was dreaming, but about what?

Then through the swirl of monochromatic color I heard a voice.

"Hey! Can you hear me?! Are you alright?!"

In a sudden rush the other three senses came back to me.

I smelled a old fragrant scent.

I felt the cold ground beneath me and the air around me.

My mouth had a grimy taste to it.

Opening my eyes slowly I looked at the afternoon sky above me.

The voice spoke again.

"Great! You're awake!"

Sitting up I look for the speaker. My vision was still blurry so I could only make out some silhouettes in the scenery around us.

Then I saw it.

A Pokemon.

A little blue and white serpent with white fins. A Dratini.

I saw no other beings around and was confused. Where was the owner of that voice?

I looked at the Dratini again and noticed what I somehow hadn't earlier. We were looking at each other on an even level. That couldn't be right could it? I could of sworn my body was bigger than that.

If that wasn't odd enough what happened next made my jaw drop.

"You're finally awake huh?"

The Dratini spoke a language I could understand. Everything I knew about Pokemon told me they had their own language certainly not my kinds!

My reverie was interrupted when the Dratini nudged me with its head rather forcefully saying "hey! Answer me are you okay?"

Nodding my head I slowly say "yeah I think so. Um pardon me but how are you talking?"

The Dratini frowned for about a second before saying "what do you mean?" Now that I heard his voice I could tell I was talking to a boy like me.

Not really paying attention as I did so I stood up properly not that it helped my height much and said "you're a Pokemon. You and I shouldn't be able to talk like this?"

The Dratini continued to give his puzzled look.

"What do you mean? You're a Pokemon too so you can talk as I do?"

I blink at him and readjust my slightly unsteady stance and fall to my side as a weight from near my waist throws me off.

Hitting the ground with an oof I mutter "what in the world?"

Feeling some moisture near me I look down and take notice of a puddle next to me and what was reflected in it.

My form was not as the vague image in my head had me thinking.

I had orange and yellow hued scales. My eyes were black with green irises. I had paws, claws, and sharp teeth. I also saw a snaking appendage with the tip on fire, the body part that had me off balance I had a tail!

My eyes widened as I realized what had happened and idly wondered if I should panic over this issue.

"I'm a Charmander!..."

The Dratini chuckled slightly.

"Well of course! What else would you be?"

Getting up shakily I say "I was a human."

The Dratini lets loose a bright laugh.

"OK suuurreeee. So where do you come from then?"

I froze thinking on that.

"I-I don't know?"

The Dratini raised an eyebrow.

"How did you get here?" He asked directly.

I gave the same answer as before.

Shaking his head he said "okay... Well I'm Julio and your name would be what? Assuming you know it."

I opened my mouth and something worms it's way out of me from the back of mind.

"I'm Caleb."

Julio looked at me amused as he said "so you were a human and am now a Pokemon, with no clue who you really were, how you got here, and what you're doing as all you can remember is your name?"

I kept silent. I didn't know what to say.

Then Julio's eyes brightened as he comes to his own conclusion.

"Oh I see! That's your back story for being here huh? Well role playing isn't my thing but if if it works for you good luck!"

I opened my mouth to speak but was cut off.

BONG! BONG!

A sound echoed over us from somewhere nearby.

Julio gasped in horror.

"Oh sweet mercy, I hadn't realized it was this late! C'mon we've got to hurry!"

Julio took off slithering along at a quick pace clearly frightened.

Concerned I followed him kinda sloppily.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note 1: welcome to chapter 2! There was a bit of a delay but I figured things out. There's some more things but I will talk about that in the second note at the bottom. For now I hope you enjoy this. I do not own Pokemon.**

Pokemon Mystery Dungeon Ways Forward

Chapter 2

The two Pokemon rushed along a small worn out path. Julio had gone from slithering urgently to frantic.

Caleb opened his mouth to ask what was wrong and then everything around him went black.

When shapes and color returned to him he found himself next to Julio in a forest clearing with 3 paths leading in different directions at the edges.

Julio cried to Caleb "c'mon man we have to hurry!"

He took of for the northern Caleb following him. A moment later he asked two things.

"What is this place?" The after noticing that Julio was wearing a satchel of some sort he said "and what's that slung around your body?"

"We're in the Mystery Dungeon, Random Orchards and this is my teams Treasure Bag."

Caleb's mind solved the Treasure Bag thing easily enough with those words, but the team comment had him puzzled but not more then...

"What's a Mystery Dungeon?"

As the two turned around a corner Julio snorted "okay Role Player or not even you must know about Mystery Dungeons!"

Caleb laughed lightly "uh humor me?"

Julio sighed. "A Mystery Dungeon is an enclosed space like this. Each one is composed of floors that work like mazes. Items and wild Pokemon can be found here. These places are so unusual they sometimes even have their own weather systems!"

Caleb thought for a moment then said "how do we get out of here?"

Julio said "we look for the stairs and go through all the floors of course and oh you have got to be kidding me!"

The path they took to the north had led them back to the first room by linking up with the western path.

Julio cried out in exasperation while Caleb pondered why stairs would be in a forest or jungle then Julio said "we don't have time for this!" And dashed for the only path left not taken. Caleb following but as he did a paper fell out of Julio's Treasure Bag. Caleb picked up as he trotted along and looked at the paper.

He was about to bring the paper to the Dratini's attention when he looked at it. While the symbols on it felt like something he'd never seen before he somehow could tell what they meant, and what he read made his eyes go wide while he trotted along.

_This is!... _Caleb thinks.

The south path took to them to a room where much their delight a said of earthen formed stairs were there. The two Pokemon walked towards it only for a Beedrill to move out from behind them and buzz at them.

Julio growled as Caleb's eyes went wide with some small fright.

"We have to fight!" Julio cried as he launched into a Tackle at the bug type. It hit the bug type certainly enough but a moment later the Beedrill's eyes flashed and using one of its stingers to knock him to the side.

Then it turned to Caleb who squeaked. As it approached him the Charmander stood stock still as Julio who had come to his senses looked at the situation and thought _why in the world isn't he doing anything?! It's like he's never battled before!_

As the Beedrill poised itself to strike Caleb finally reacted pulling an arm back in a blink he lunged it at the Beedrill his paw's nails elongating and glowing as he used Scratch on the Beedrill knocking it to the side.

Julio gauged the situation and said "no time for this we just need to get up the stairs come on!" And so he dashed for them. Caleb on the tip of his tail.

As they passed through the dark at the top they found themselves back on a path like the one from before they entered the Mystery Dungeon.

Julio cried out in relief and gratitude "oh thank you! It was only one floor that time." They began to run along again. As they rounded a bend Julio shouted as against a darkening sky the silhouettes of a settlement stood out. In the heart those outlines Caleb saw a structure he just knew what it was.

_A clock tower... _He thinks.

Julio sighed "thank goodness we made it I was worried we'd be dealing with an even bigger issue than earlier if we didn't make it back before_"

BONG! BONG! BONG!

Julio turned downright white with pure fear.

"Oh no!" He whispered.

Caleb was going to ask what was wrong when he saw what had him concerned.

Suddenly what there wasn't anything there was **something**.

It was a tattered black cloak that just hung in the air without anything to support it. Floating around near its head was a scythe whose wood and metal seemed to have some sort of light of its own. Next to its side was a plain lantern glowing with a yellow-orange light. That thing gave off a feeling that said "beg for your lives puny things." If Death himself wanted a new look this one would be a pretty good choice.

Julio gulped.

Suddenly the things hood went up and within its darkness two pinpoints flashed red as the thing showed it had eyes of some kind.

Julio screamed "RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!" And practically left a dust trail in his wake as he took off so fast with Caleb right behind him as best as he could given the body issue.

Despite the terrifying issue he was facing Caleb couldn't help but notice the scenery as they went along. This place had clearly seen better days as most if not all the buildings were on the verge of collapsing.

_Somethings not right..._ He thought then as he chased after Julio looking behind him he blanched and picked up the pace pretty quickly.

The thing from before was after them alright and if it's weapons position was any indication it meant to END THEM!

Julio gasped as a new structure came into sight and he cried "almost there!" And put up extra bursts of speed with Caleb following.

Again with Death or one of its helpers chasing them he couldn't but help take notice of what was quite possibly Julio's home.

Like the other buildings this one was in need of serious repair but despite that Caleb found himself thinking of a wizards tower from a storybook for some reason.

_It must be the cone top_ he thinks.

As they reached the door Julio did something that somehow opened it, shoved Caleb inside, leaped in himself and slammed the door behind them, barring it too.

Caleb made a noise as if to ask why locks would keep out a grim reaper when Julio said "it's alright for some reason those things can't enter a building if a part of it is locked."

Caleb pondered this comment and the fact that there were more of those things when he looked around the room.

Everything in the room may have been a bit shoddy but it was neat and organized for the most part. As he gazed at two broken stools in the corner Julio said "I know it's not pretty we're kinda having money problems right now."

Caleb frowned and quietly said "that's not how I would put it a lifetime of debt might be more accurate."

"Uh..." Was the Dratini's response.

Caleb held out the paper,** no the bill** Julio had dropped earlier which while very crumpled up, he had held onto.

"Oh." Julio said quietly.

Suddenly a strange voice called from nearby "Julio! I was beginning to think we would have to lock the door, leave you to your fate, and mourn our dear leader but here you are! And while I do not know your friend I welcome them to The Endless Lands!"

**Author's Note 2: the first thing to talk about is the grim reaper like being (later beings) I introduced in this chapter. In this story I needed a new type of enemy that was a real issue in this story. I considered Pokemon with visible auras that were more less savage but for some reason the idea didn't feel right so I have those running around. Then the reason for the delay the first chapter was written in first person this chapter in third. My beta tells me that's something to be given some grief for at times. I was gonna change it back but for the sake of how I want things I can't. When I wrote the first chapter I needed to show off the perspective of Caleb in the dream and his initial wake up/realization but from this point on and hopefully for awhile I need to show what everyone is thinking hence my reasoning. If you have advice feel free to speak up. Reviews welcome. **

**Thanks to Ashski of DA, my beta for the help!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note: so here's chapter 3! I warn you this introduces new characters, but it is also exposition and setting up the plot. I should also warn you there won't be any new chapters for the next two days at least as I'm planning out the next three chapters. I hope you like this. I do not own Pokemon. Thanks goes to my beta Ashski of DeviantArt. Reviews welcome!**

Pokemon Mystery Dungeon Ways Forward

Chapter 3

Julio and Caleb looked towards the voice. Hovering there slightly was a blue and pink Pokemon made up of prisms of a sort, a Porygon. While Caleb knew that all Porygon were considered genderless but something about his stance and voice said to the Charmander that it was a male.

Julio a grim chuckle "yeah I thought tonight was it for me too but we got lucky."

Caleb looked at the two and thought over what was just said and what he had just learned about the protections used against those things and with a start realized something.

"You said any longer and you would have locked the door and you would of mourned him right? You're saying that means you would of left him and me to die?!" He asked indignant.

Julio sighed wearily "it's a safety precaution for the team here nowadays."

Caleb asked "team?"

Julio rolled his eyes clearly still thinking that he was still role playing but willing to play along while assuming the roll of host so he said "get the others if I'm gonna explain we might as well all be here" to the confused Porygon.

But still he went along with things and hovered upstairs. There was some noises and muffled voices and then the Porygon came whooshing down. Two others followed and Caleb looked at them.

The first was a Smeargle, footsteps soft and swift, her air showing off feminine traits she seemed to have a cheerful personality.

The second was a Machoke his steps solid but hesitant for some reason he was a male too but he seemed nervous over something.

Julio nodded "OK! Everyone's here. Caleb this is my team, The Porygon is Dax, the Smeargle is Tula, and the Machoke, Leon!"

The Dratini faced the four Pokemon and introduced his trio of friends to Caleb telling "his story" which produced reactions that left him rather embarrassed and a little hurt they would classify his story like that.

After doing his best to shrug off the embarrassment and going only so far with the scales on his cheeks a different shade of orange than the others he said "so what exactly is this place?"

Dax in something a rather imperial tone began to recite something along the lines of grand speech until with a word Julio quieted him.

The Dratini then proceeded to explain bluntly:

"The Endless Lands is a world that lies parallel to our true home world. This place is really nothing but forests, ruins, Mystery Dungeons involving the two, and this place, Timeless Town. After this world was known to us those few lured here made a rather bad discovery once you're in you can't leave."

Caleb shyly asked a question then "hasn't anyone tried to figure out a way around that?"

Dax said "previous records have shown that such things were tried but sadly they did not go well."

Caleb frowned at this and asked "so then if this whole world is a prison why would anyone come here?"

Tula gave a wistful smile and said "for the quest of course!"

Caleb blinked and Julio said "when The Endless Lands were uncovered we also found out about the prize this place hides. Some form of inscriptions and whatnot tells that this place has something called The Path if you can figure out where it starts and how to actually run it all the way to the end you'll earn said prize."

Caleb said "how long ago was this first found out?"

Julio said "about four decades ago, 40 years."

Caleb's frown deepened. "No one's solved this mystery by now?"

Julio sighed and Dax said "information abounds about The Path but telling what's true and false is rather tricky."

Julio sighed again "Dax is right I heard plenty of stories about this and that before coming here but given all that's happened I haven't been able to make heads or tails of anything."

At this Caleb was confused "how would you_"

Tula interrupted here "somehow, we don't know how but rumors about what goes on here as well as what happens back on the other side circulates often enough to keep things current or at least it used to."

The Charmander made a questioning noise.

"The information flow stopped right before life here sunk like a stone" Julio said bitterly. "Life here was never easy but between us Teams and the regular Pokemon who chose to live their lives here but we managed. Then about 3 months ago right before those boogeymon showed up a Pokemon calling himself Mr. Vinnie arrived. He said he was an entrepreneur and started making minor impacts in the community. Things passed calmly enough for a week or so and then things turned ugly. It seemed like we blinked and he had control over every resource we had. He even makes us pay rent for these buildings which have always been free up till that point! We would of fought back" he said sensing Caleb's next question "but when he showed us his true colors he also showed us his goons. He has a pack of very very nasty Houndour who are quite strong at his beck and call and since then he's slowly taken over the town. That bill you saw was the result of him "loaning" what we need just to survive! That combined with the arrival of those monsters running around at night doing what they do before we figured out how to guard against them" here sorrow entered Julio's voice "pretty much landed us in this nightmare we live in now."

Caleb frowned clearly really unhappy with this situation. "So there's been no way to get help from the other side?"

To the Charmander's surprise Leon spoke up, the Machoke hesitantly said "near as we can tell no one there knows anything about this and we've heard nothing at all from them. To be honest you're the first arrival we've seen in awhile!" After speaking so rapidly the Machoke blushed and refused to look at any of them.

Julio sighed "that's the gist of it. Lately I've been going out into the wild trying to find stuff to help pay these debts but with Mr. Vinnie hogging everything that's proven close to impossible."

Caleb looked at the four upset Pokemon and felt a feeling stir within him one the back of his mind seemed to have a name for. _Resolve._

"Then I'll help!" Caleb said startling the four. As they looked at him astonished he went on saying "Julio since you've been working on everything yourself I can assume your teammates have duties that keep them here right?"

Unknown to Julio and Caleb, Tula and Leon traded looks while Dax observed the situation clearly thinking.

"So I'll help you! We'll figure out something for the debt issue and together we'll solve the quest!"

Julio stared at Caleb and took noticed of his bright starry eyes and saw that he meant what he said.

The Dratini nodded gruffly and reaching into his bag pulled out a purple fabric and tossed it at him. Caleb caught it and asked "what's this for?"

Julio said "all of my team members wear one. They're a gift from my family."

Caleb blinked and looked at the four and noticed what he somehow hadn't earlier.

All of them were wearing bandannas around their necks. Julio's was black, Tula's pink, Leon's green, and Dax's brown.

Caleb smiled and tied his like theirs.

Julio, Tula, and Leon smiled. Then all of them even Dax cried out "welcome to Team Epitaph!"

Caleb smiled and laughed "thanks."


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note 8/9/2014: OK first off I must say sorry for the incredibly long delay it took me awhile to work up the will to write this. I must also apologise for speaking incrrectly when I said setting up up the story was done as I seem to be still going on with it. This is barely three pages but I followed my chapter plan for this even adding a new thing and this was the result so oh well. I confess I'm worried Caleb is stepping out of bounds on the way I designed him but meh. I hope you like this chapter. Reviews welcome. I do not own Pokemon. Credit goes to my beta Ashski of DeviantArt for the help.**

Pokemon Mystery Dungeon Ways Forward

Chapter 4

Team Epitaph spent the next few hours celebrating as well as they could given the circumstances then they had to go to bed.

Julio led his team up the stairs explaining to Caleb that most members had a space of their own in some retrospect but for the time being Caleb would stay with Julio.

As they entered his room Caleb found a rather small space but was neat. There was paper containing information tacked up on the walls and in piles around the room and in the center a giant hay bed.

It was to this Julio went and began pulling and pulling till there were two beds in the center of the room.

As Julio curled up in one he said "go on make yourself comfortable and get come rest. We've got a big start tomorrow!"

Caleb smiled and headed towards his bed and then stopped twisting his neck to look at his tail then the hay bed.

Would it catch on fire?!

Sighing he thought _I'll have to manage for now and be careful._

Lying down carefully he curled up and closing his eyes let his mind run plans through in his head as he drifted off into slumber's embrace.

The night passed and morning came around and with it a wake up alarm.

The door flew open and in raced Tul not that Julio and Caleb saw at the moment.

The Smeargle raced in circles around the room shouting "IT'S MORNING! IT'S MORNING! TIME TO GET UP! THE GHOULY GHOUILES ARE GONE! SO LET'S BEGIN THE DAY!"

And with that she raced out of the room singing a song.

Caleb whimpered slightly and voice rasping slightly said "Julio, does-

"She do that every morning? Yes, yes she does." Julio interrupted with a smile as he got up and stretched.

Caleb blinked his eyes open and sitting up said "well then let's begin the day."

Standing up the Charmander stretched and headed downstairs.

Reaching the same room on the ground floor as last night Caleb, Julio, Leon, Tula, and Caleb gathered around a table and ate some bruised berries and drank some water.

Then Caleb more or less went tyrannical as he took over.

Armed with paper and writing tools he went around taking notes as he finished he said "OK Team Epitaph I've got a good idea on what we can do get things in order and start paying off those debts but to do so we're gonna have to live on a budget and managing our resources quite heavily. Is that okay everyone?"

Tula and Leon nodded. Julio looked relieved that his new partner was being treated so well and was off to a good start.

None of them noticed Dax's strange look though.

Caleb then said "so me and Julio are active in the field so what do the others do?"

Julio slithered up and said "Tula gathers information from gossip to what shops have to offer. Half of the papers in our room are from her."

Caleb nodded and said "okay then I'll make sure to keep us stocked on writing materials. And Leon, does he fight with us?"

The Machoke put on a panicked face and blushing mightily shook his head.

Julio said "Leon is our handymen he repairs what he can around here."

Caleb stopped and looked at the Dratini and Machoke his thought plain across his face.

A fighting type who doesn't fight?!

That look vanished a second later as he graciously said "OK then start going over our base and we'll work on repairs as best we can as we go along."

He made some notes and then began to say "so what does-

**CRASH!**

Team Epitaph looked toward the sound and found part of the wall of the room they were in had crumbled slightly.

Leon cried out and said "not again! That's the third time in two weeks that's happened!"

Caleb more than concerned asked "is there any danger of the tower collapsing because of the weak support from this room.

Leon shook his head and kneeling down said "no I made sure of that the first time this happened. We just need to find a more stable fix."

The Charmander nodded and said "okay then I'll start figuring things out and we'll make this a priority."

Note taking done he turned to his leader and said with a smile "alright then Julio show me the town."

Tula spoke and said "oohh! Oohh! Me too! Me too!" And dashed after then as they left the tower.

Of course with these events none of them realized a question had never been asked or answered.


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Note: sorry for the lack of activity. Life and creativity both by themselves and together have been so-so lately. But with old things returning and new things appearing I figured I should get something done other than blog posts for groups on DeviantArt. So here is chapter 5 of my PMD story. I hope you like it. Reviews welcome. I own nothing.**

Pokemon Mystery Dungeon Ways Forward

Chapter 5

The three members of Team Epitaph walked down the streets heading for Timeless Town's main square.

"It was the main center of all activity here regardless of what Mr. Vinnie's done" Julio had said.

But that still didn't help the sad sights visible on the way there. Looking around Caleb saw the town was more or less a city of ruins. Most of the structures were sound enough but there was still visible damages such as holes and broken windows to be seen.

_For a place called timeless, time has hit it rather hard._ He thinks sadly.

Sighing, Julio and Tula give him a look but say nothing.

Then they reach the end of the street.

Looking around Caleb had to admit things looked better here than what he's seen of the rest of the town granted he's only seen so much of it.

In front of him was roughly a wide square area with the ground being cobblestone with only a few gaps here and there.

Then looking all the way across the square Caleb stared in awe. Bordering part of that side was a series of collapsed structures but planted between them was a tall tower, staring up at it height he sees a face with hands and as they reach a point series of BONG noises are heard.

_A clock tower... _Caleb thinks amazed. Then his face goes thoughtful as he thinks _this tower here is a play on words with the name Timeless Town_ somewhat sourly.

Looking at Julio he asks "is the clock tower any significance to The Path?"

The Dratini smirks and shakes his head "nearly everyone has and still thinks that but we have no proof to back up that idea." Caleb makes a questioning noise and then Tula speaks up "for all it's functioning properly we can't tell how there is no entrance we've been able to find or make that thing is a fortress."

"Flying types?" He hears himself ask. 

"No good" Julio says Tula nodding with his words "any that have tried have had some sort of vertigo status inflicted that sends them flying upside down back to earth."

Caleb frowned.

Julio said "okay that's enough sight seeing let's get some preparations done."

Here Tula pipes up once more "and with that I go do my job, bye team leader, bye role player!" And with that the Smeargle dashes off with Julio chuckling and Caleb making a face.

"C'mon" Julio says slithering for a few structures near the clock tower.

Following his new friend and teammate they approached a wide yellow tent with a black keyhole pattern covering it. At the opening was a wooden box serving as a counter with a male Ampharos behind it.

Smiling Julio approached and said "hey Lyle! How's it going?"

The Ampharos who Caleb guess to be Lyle says "well enough though things are still... well you know."

Julio nods slowly gesturing to Caleb he says "so Lyle meet Caleb the newest member of Team Epitaph! Caleb this is Lyle he runs the storage shop here in Timeless Town."

Lyle holds out his paw and Caleb shakes it. "So you arrived in The Endless Lands huh? Anything good from the outside?"

Caleb stays silent unsure of what to say.

Julio recognizing an issue decided to stop it before it starts and breaking into the conversation "hey Lyle, what items do we have in storage right now?"

The Ampharos brought back to the task at hand smiles at Julio and retreating into the tent pulls out a few pieces of paper and hands them to Julio who passes them to Caleb.

The Charmander looked them over mentally making some notes in his head for the plan and budget he's working on.

Nodding he handed it back and Julio said "c'mon I tend to hold those things for emergency so let's hit the item shop" turning to leave he stops as a thought hits him. "Hey Lyle? How's Cleo doing?"

Lyle smiles sadly "she's well enough she's working on some new equations but she's still sad over this."

Julio nods and starts slithering away, Caleb following behind.

When a reasonable distance away Caleb asks "Cleo_"

"Was the former owner of the bank here in Timeless Town, when Mr. Vinnie took over he drove her out of business with a statement that if they had money to store it should be used to pay him." Julio says in a rush interrupting him rather bitterly.

Caleb frowned already thinking about how to handle that when the reached a green tent with spiral patterns all over it. Once again there was that same barrier at the opening for business. Behind it was a female purple Kecleon.

_A shiny Pokemon!_ Caleb thinks surprised.

Jumping up and down the Kecleon cries "Julio sweetie hello! It's nice to see you and who's your friend?!"

Laughing Julio says "hello Trixie nice to see you too. This is Caleb my new teammate." Then before what happened with Lyle could occur Julio added "so do you have anything in particular to show us?"

Trizie smiles sadly "not really I do have a few Oran and Pecha berries but that's it."

Julio looks at Caleb who reviews some things in his head.

He nods to Julio who purchases two of each.

With that done they start to cross the square heading for the street leading to their base.

Reaching the start Caleb scowls at what he sees.

Walking past them pulling a wheeled platform was a Houndour. Julio stares sadly at the Poke and items on the platform.

Caleb righteous fury pumping through him says as they head back to base "we have to do something this is an outrage!"

Julio says sadly "I know and would love to but as things are now I can't, they can't and you certainly can't."

Emotions fading Caleb sighs and says "fine not yet then..."

Julio looks at him and would of said something but by that point they reached the base and what else should happen but Tula comes along zooming right up to them giddy with happiness.

"Guys, guys! I heard about something incredibly in town we might have a chance to find real treasure!"


End file.
